My name is Sharon and I'm a Registered Nurse. I entered nursing almost as a second career, after I briefly explored the sustainability sector.
In college, I was involved in several eco-friendly initiatives, including:
a zero waste student organization
a phytoremediation lab (which studied how plants can absorb and clean up pollution from soil and water)
a public health research group that looked at the use of plastics in breastfeeding and breast pumping, and
the student sustainability hub at my alma mater.
I did some work in Operations and Community Outreach, then realized I wanted to gain more specific technical skills and work closely with individuals one-on-one. I always had an interest in human health, and so I returned to school to get my RN. I am currently in school to be an FNP.
While in nursing school, I noticed that there was a lot of overlap between the social determinants of health, climate change, environmental justice, and access to healthcare. However, many of these topics were introduced in "fluff" classes or not emphasized amidst the classes that were focused on the acquisition of hard skills. As climate change and environmental degradation becomes a larger threat, I wanted to create a space for myself to synthesize what I've learned and experienced about the systems in society that connect healthcare access, health justice, environmental justice, and environmental wellness - and perhaps educate people along the way. I will also talk about my personal sustainability journey and the challenges that come with it.
My hope is that this blog would serve as a resource for those interested in learning more about this intersection, and inspire more individuals to take climate action.